Kendra Margaret Cocksedge MNZM (born 1 July 1988) is a retired New Zealand Rugby Union player and Cricketer.[1][2] She played for the New Zealand Women's national rugby union side, the Black Ferns and for the Canterbury provincial side. She was a member of the 2010, 2017 and 2021 Rugby World Cup winning squads. In 2018 she won the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year Award at the annual New Zealand Rugby awards.[3]

Kendra Cocksedge
Cocksedge in 2021
Birth nameKendra Margaret Cocksedge
Date of birth (1988-07-01) 1 July 1988 (age 36)
Place of birthNew Plymouth, New Zealand
Height1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Weight64 kg (141 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Halfback
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2022 Canterbury 100 (1085)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2022 New Zealand 68 (404)
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2004/05–2007/08Central Districts
Career statistics
Competition WLA WT20
Matches 38 5
Runs scored 287 24
Batting average 13.66 12.00
100s/50s 0/1 0/0
Top score 66 16
Balls bowled 336 60
Wickets 8 1
Bowling average 31.12 88.00
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 2/32 1/23
Catches/stumpings 15/– 1/–
Source: CricketArchive, 11 September 2022
Medal record
Women's rugby union
Representing  New Zealand
Women's Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2021 New Zealand Team competition
Gold medal – first place 2017 Ireland Team competition
Gold medal – first place 2010 England Team competition

Early life

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Cocksedge was originally from Taranaki, she played rugby from a young age and made the Taranaki and Hurricanes Secondary School teams. She also represented the Central Hinds at cricket, debuting as a 15-year-old.

Cricket career

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Cocksedge wore cap #100 for the Central Districts Hinds, playing 38 List A one-day matches and five Twenty20s. She debuted in the 2004-5 season and played through to the 2007-8 season State League final (after she has already become a Black Fern). When her rugby and cricket commitments required her to chose a single sport, she retired from cricket.[4]

Rugby career

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In 2007, at the age of 19, she made her debut for Canterbury after moving there to study at Lincoln University.[5][6] She later made her international debut for the Black Ferns on 16 October that year against the Wallaroos at Wanganui.[7][6] In addition to Rugby union, Cocksedge has also represented New Zealand in the sport of Rugby sevens and was a member of the winning team of the Women's Sevens World Series in 2013.[5]

 
Cocksedge playing for Canterbury[8]

2014–2017

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In 2014 Cocksedge started in all nine matches for the Canterbury Women's Provincial Team, performing strongly and scoring 101 points. Following this Cocksedge made her Test debut for New Zealand and was named in the squad to the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup.[9]

In 2015, she was top point scorer with 26 points at the 2015 Women's Rugby Super Series. She was named New Zealand's Women's Player of the Year at the end of 2015[10] and went on to be named in the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup squad that won the tournament.[11][12]

2018–2021

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Cocksedge became the first woman to be receive the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Award for Player of the Year at the New Zealand Rugby awards in 2018.[7] In 2019 she was part of the winning team of the Women's Super Rugby Series.[13]

In the 2021 New Year Honours, Cocksedge was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby.[14] Cocksedge was one of five players who signed with the Matatū rugby team for the inaugural season of the Super Rugby Aupiki.[15]

2022

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Cocksedge was selected for the Black Ferns squad for the 2022 Pacific Four Series.[16] She was recalled into the team for the August test series against the Wallaroos for the Laurie O'Reilly Cup.[17][18]

Cocksedge appeared in her fourth World Cup when she made the Black Ferns 32-player squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup.[19][20] She helped the Black Ferns claim their sixth Rugby World Cup title.[21][22] Cocksedge later retired from rugby after the World Cup.[6][23]

References

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  1. ^ "Kendra Cocksedge". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Staff Profile – Kendra Cocksedge". sportcanterbury.org.nz. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge the first woman to win NZ Rugby's top player award". Stuff. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Kendra Cocksedge to Hang Up the Boots". CD Cricket. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Kendra Cocksedge | allblacks.com". All Blacks. Archived from the original on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "Black Ferns great Kendra Cocksedge to retire from rugby". 1 News. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b Johnstone, Duncan (16 November 2022). "'You made my dreams come true' - Kendra Cocksedge farewells rugby". Stuff. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  8. ^ Canterbury vs Manawatu 12 October 2013 at Rugby Park, Christchurch NZ – Victor Paul on Flickr
  9. ^ "Black Ferns name squad for 2014 World Cup". stuff.co.nz. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Kendra Cocksedge named 2015 Women's Player of the Year". ALLBLACKS.COM. 12 December 2015. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Black Ferns squad for 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup named". All Blacks. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Black Ferns World Cup squad named". Radio New Zealand. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Black Ferns skipper Les Elder returns for Super Series decider against England". Stuff.co.nz. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  14. ^ "New Year Honours List 2021". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Identity, first signed players for South Island Super Rugby Aupiki team revealed". www.msn.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  16. ^ "31-strong Black Ferns squad named for home June Test series". allblacks.com. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Black Ferns named for O'Reilly Cup Test series". allblacks.com. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  18. ^ Brown, Roger (15 August 2022). "2022 Laurie O'Reilly Cup Black Ferns Vs Wallaroos " When Does It Start, Live Streams And Schedule"". thedailyrugby.com. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Black Ferns squad locked in for Rugby World Cup". allblacks.com. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  20. ^ "Black Ferns Rugby World Cup squad named". RNZ. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  21. ^ Julian, Adam (12 November 2022). "Black Ferns crowned Rugby World Cup champions". allblacks.com. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Black Ferns beat England to create Rugby World Cup history". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  23. ^ "Black Fern legend Kendra Cocksedge announces impending retirement". NZ Rugby. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
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